ML20217B550

Refers to to Chairman Jackson Which Expressed NFPA Views Re Rulemaking Effort Being Considered by NRC & Development of Performance Based Std for NPP Fp.Proposed Std Should Include Relevant Aspects of Fire Hazard Assessment

ML20217B550
Person / Time
Issue date:	03/19/1998
From:	Collins S NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Fleming R NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION
References
NUDOCS 9803260097
Download: ML20217B550 (3)

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f UNITED STATES g j NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

& WASHINGTON, D.C. 206eH001

%g 8 March 19, 1998 l

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Mr. Russell P. Fleming, Chair  !

Standards Council National Fire Protection Association 1 Batterymarch Park P.O. Box 9101 {

Quincy, MA 02269-9101

Dear Mr. Fleming:

In a letter dated November 7,1997, to Chairman Jackson of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), George D. Miller, President of the National Fire Protection Association l

(NFPA), expressed the views of the NFPA conceming the fire protection rulemaking effort being i considered by the NRC, and the relationship of that effort to the work of the NFPA Technical i Committee on Fire Protection for Nuclear Facilities, in developing a performance-based standard )

for nuclear power plant fire protection (NFPA 805). In my response of December 9,1997, to l Mr. Miller, I described the process for interaction with industry and professional societies for the l development of new codes and standards for adoption by the NRC and the current status of the staff's effort conceming the fire protection rulemaking.

Subsequent to my letter of December 9,1997, representatives of the NFPA met with the fire protection subcommittee of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) on January 22,1998, and presented NFPA's plan for the development of a performance-based fire protectioa standard, During the presentation, the NFPA representatives were uncertain whether risk information was to be incorporated into the proposed standard. At the ACRS full-committee meeting on March 3,1998, the NFPA representatives stated that, on the basis of the feedback received at the meeting of January 22,1998, the incorporation of risk information would be addressed at the next meeting of the technical committee, scheduled for April 30,1998, in order for the NRC to endorse a fire protection standard for its regulatory applications, the proposed standard should include all relevant aspects of fire hazard assessment, including rir.k insights. To assist the NFPA technical committee in incorporating risk information into the proposed standard, the NRC requests that the Standards Council establish a nonvoting member position, in addition to the current voting positions, for NRC staff with special expertise in probabilistic risk assessment. This request is consistent with the offer made by /

Mr. Miller to promote a high degree of cooperation between the NRC and the NFPA and with discussions between the NRC staff and the committee chairman conceming the project.

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o Mr. Russell P. Fleming 2 Thank you for the opportunity to bring this rnatter to your attention. I look forward to your prompt response. Please contact Edward Conneli of my staff at 301-415-2838 if you require any additionalinformation.

Sincerely, 5

Samuel J. Collins, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation DISTRIBUTION:

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. Russell P. Fleming 2 Than ou for the opportunity to bring this matter to your attention. I look forwarpto your prompt ponse. Please contact Edward Connell of my staff at 301-415-28381f you require i any additio Iinformation. j i

Sincerely, ,

S uel J. Collins, Director i ice of Nuclear Reactor Regulation j DISTRIBUTION. i Central File ,

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